Verizon Workers Soon to be Back on Duty

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
Joined
May 9, 2000
Messages
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In what could be called an uneasy truce, Verizon workers are scheduled to return to work on Monday. The workers are returning without a new contract as the negotiations resume between Verizon management and Union representatives. It doesn’t appear that the talks are getting off on the best of footings.

"We are disappointed to see this quote from Marc Reed, Verizon's executive vice president for human resources, that the company hoped 'to convince the unions to begin bargaining with us in good faith.' It is both inaccurate and insulting," the unions said in a statement.
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They should go back for a week unpaid to fix all the crap they damaged while on strike.
 
What a bunch of babies.

I gave these douches the finger when I drove by them the other day.
 
Meh, If Verizon was unprofitable, I might agree with their attempts at pay and benefits cuts. As it stands they are profitable. And the Verizon employees had good reason to strike.

As far as paying for any damage caused by the strikers, I would rather see fines and jail time. Destruction of property is typically handled with fines, restitution, and sometimes a few weeks in county.
 
On Friday some construction company tore the fiber cable from my house to the line across the street. Today is Sunday and there are people from Verizon fixing the cable as I post this. Maybe Verizon at nyc have some deal with the workers but I haven't felt any negative impact from the strike thus far. If anything I'm pleasantly surprised they would fix our line on a Sunday.
 
My family and I had the displeasure of seeing these striking workers surround a car and start swearing and yelling SCAB at the person in the car. I'm sure if the cops werent there they would have tipped it over. They can get pretty violent, they also had small children with them, way to set an example, :rolleyes: all in all tho it was pretty enetertaining :D
 
qfwm said:
My family and I had the displeasure of seeing these striking workers surround a car and start swearing and yelling SCAB at the person in the car. I'm sure if the cops werent there they would have tipped it over. They can get pretty violent, they also had small children with them, way to set an example, :rolleyes: all in all tho it was pretty enetertaining :D
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Amazing no one was killed. They should try to avoid surrounding vehicles like that. Sooner or later somebody in the car is going to get scared and panic and then hit the gas and run some people down. And if/when the person that ran down the strikers ends up in court over it, they are going to end up walking on an affirmative defense. It is too easily argued that a reasonable person would fear for life and limb when surrounded by an angry mob.
 
So the workers completely lost, got nothing, ran out of money and went back to work for no new contract?

Who didnt see that coming.
 
The funny thing is that I know a few people that were forced out on strike and none of them had a problem with what Verizon wanted. It seems that a minority within the union forced the majority out on strike.
 
I'm glad they got back to work, now VZ dispatches will happen in the timely factor and they'll actually start giving ETA/ETR again for tickets we put in with them.
 
GilmourD said:
The funny thing is that I know a few people that were forced out on strike and none of them had a problem with what Verizon wanted. It seems that a minority within the union forced the majority out on strike.
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Thats not how its supposed to work.....there is supposed to be a strike vote.....and the majority wins.
I have no inside info on Verizon so I cant say what they do, but I have never seen a union strike without a vote.
 
Crosshairs said:
I have no inside info on Verizon so I cant say what they do, but I have never seen a union strike without a vote.
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CWA members voted to authorize the strike with an overwhelming majority (90%+)

Cali3350 said:
So the workers completely lost, got nothing, ran out of money and went back to work for no new contract?

Who didnt see that coming.
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That's not what happened at all. The company and the union agreed to let workers go back to work under the provisions of the just-expired contract. This agreement was reached because the company narrowed it's list of demands and with the Unions, agreed on a framework that these remaining issues would be handled in. Part of the return to work agreement was that neither side would claim victory, but from a realistic standpoint. . .

1) The union workers really prefer to work - we like getting paid, of course. We only struck because the company did not really give us much choice int he matter by refusing to negotiate with us at all.

2) The company really needs us back at work - I've heard the backlog of work is incredible.

The agreement also had two interesting provisions.

1) Neither side can call the strike back on within the first 30 days.

2) The first week back there are no Overtime Caps in place so the company will work us as much as it pleases and there is nothing we can do about it.

Rofflecopter said:
On Friday some construction company tore the fiber cable from my house to the line across the street. Today is Sunday and there are people from Verizon fixing the cable as I post this. Maybe Verizon at nyc have some deal with the workers but I haven't felt any negative impact from the strike thus far. If anything I'm pleasantly surprised they would fix our line on a Sunday.
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Verizon typically has a 24-hr turnaround for FiOS repairs, so they are late :) Also, most areas work on Sundays.
 
GilmourD said:
The funny thing is that I know a few people that were forced out on strike and none of them had a problem with what Verizon wanted. It seems that a minority within the union forced the majority out on strike.
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Think it's just a coincidence that after all the vile crap the unions have been tossing at Verizon, the union instructs their members to get back to work just days before the CWA would begin paying up to $300 per week in strike benefits to its striking members? That's about $10 million a week. The unions are only in the business of making bigger unions and lining their and their political allies pockets with union dues coerced from it's "members". The faster we get rid of unions.. both public and private.. the better off we'll all be.
 
i would not be surprised if they started slowly firing them over the next 3 years (there are loads of ways to do it legally)
 
Evil Scooter said:
The unions are only in the business of making everyone be able to earn fair and equitable wages and benefits as opposed to the millions of dollars the executive managers scrape off the backs of the workers. The faster we get more unions.. both public and private.. the better off we'll all be.
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t, ftfy.
 
mvmiller12 said:
1) The union workers really prefer to work - we like getting paid, of course. We only struck because the company did not really give us much choice int he matter by refusing to negotiate with us at all.
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Then go back to work and be thankful you have jobs at all.
 
Maximus825 said:
Then go back to work and be thankful you have jobs at all.
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Verizon received 1 BILLION, in tax breaks, from the government and then turned around and asked for a concession, from the employees, for the exact same amount. In addition, Verizon is one of, if not the worst, tax evaders having not paid one cent of its 11 billion in taxes, last year.

The CEO of Verizon was bragging about how Verizon did not need any bailout money and how well Verizon was doing. The top four at horizon make a quarter BILLION dollars last year.

... but hey don't let facts get in the way and jump on the bash the unions bandwagon. A rather myopic point of view which will only result in working conditions and compensation decreasing for union members and none union members, alike.

I'm sure that the CEOs and Execs second vacation home and third boat is much more necessary than fairly compensating Verizon workers so they can put their kid in sports or pay off some household debt.

Why don't we just eliminate all employee compensation ... after all they are lucky to have jobs right?

"Work shall set you free."
 
GORANKAR said:
Meh, If Verizon was unprofitable, I might agree with their attempts at pay and benefits cuts. As it stands they are profitable. And the Verizon employees had good reason to strike.
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This.
They mde $3.26 billion in net profits last quarter.
Verizon employs 195,000 people.
To give each person a $5,000 increase in pay and benefits would cost Verizon $975 million.

That's how much net profit they made in about 27 days. Or the revenues they pull in every three days.
 
fattypants said:
This.
They mde $3.26 billion in net profits last quarter.
Verizon employs 195,000 people.
To give each person a $5,000 increase in pay and benefits would cost Verizon $975 million.

That's how much net profit they made in about 27 days. Or the revenues they pull in every three days.
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Verizon as a whole made money, the division of Verizon that runs FIOS and their landlines (the division that these people were getting a paid vacation from) is losing money by the truckload. Verizon Wireless is basically subsidizing Verizon Landline, and they're trying to put an end to that.
 
wizdum said:
Verizon as a whole made money, the division of Verizon that runs FIOS and their landlines (the division that these people were getting a paid vacation from) is losing money by the truckload. Verizon Wireless is basically subsidizing Verizon Landline, and they're trying to put an end to that.
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If it's unprofitable, why don't they just drop the whole thing or sell it off? Why bother with labor negotiations?
 
fattypants said:
If it's unprofitable, why don't they just drop the whole thing or sell it off? Why bother with labor negotiations?
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They have been selling it off (remember the Verizon - Fairpoint deal a couple years ago?). They have also been firing people.
 
wizdum said:
They have been selling it off (remember the Verizon - Fairpoint deal a couple years ago?). They have also been firing people.
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Then these labor negotiations will not end well for the laborers. They need to have a bargaining chip of some value before they strike. It's like the Detroit Lions going on strike against the NFL.
 
GORANKAR said:
Meh, If Verizon was unprofitable, I might agree with their attempts at pay and benefits cuts. As it stands they are profitable. And the Verizon employees had good reason to strike.
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The portion of the company, Verizon Wireline, where the unions works is VERY unprofitable. It is bleeding money. Wireless phones, which the union does not work on, is profitable. You should not expect the profitable portion to subsidize the unprofitable so that union members can get 100% free healthcare.

As far as paying for any damage caused by the strikers, I would rather see fines and jail time. Destruction of property is typically handled with fines, restitution, and sometimes a few weeks in county.
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And being fired. There are several dozen who are to be fired pending review.
 
Evil Scooter said:
Think it's just a coincidence that after all the vile crap the unions have been tossing at Verizon, the union instructs their members to get back to work just days before the CWA would begin paying up to $300 per week in strike benefits to its striking members? That's about $10 million a week. The unions are only in the business of making bigger unions and lining their and their political allies pockets with union dues coerced from it's "members". The faster we get rid of unions.. both public and private.. the better off we'll all be.
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They have an upcoming election to try to buy, they need that money.
 
Valshistixol said:
Oh good, another anti-union thread.
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If unions policed their own, removing the crap workers we know swell the union ranks, then most people would be VERY pro union. As it is, it is amazingly difficult to fire someone who refuses to actually work - which is part of the problem Verizon is trying to fix.

If the unions did not defend the people everyone knows are crappy workers, but instead insisted their workers maintain a good work ethic, unions would be a force for good.

Unions still ahve their place, but too many times they are simply protectors of horrible workers.
 
fattypants said:
If it's unprofitable, why don't they just drop the whole thing or sell it off? Why bother with labor negotiations?
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You need a buyer...and it is hard to find a buyer for something which is bleeding money and is full of a union which gets 100% free health insurance, among other things.
 
My mothers landline phone went out during the strike and I had them bail on three separate appointments without notice.

When I called Verizon, I told them if it wasnt fixed that day, I was switching to Vonage. The operator told me that "at this point, switching to Vonage would probably be the best route".

Who on earth recommends that their customers switch to a competitor?
 
cybrsage said:
If unions policed their own, removing the crap workers we know swell the union ranks, then most people would be VERY pro union. As it is, it is amazingly difficult to fire someone who refuses to actually work - which is part of the problem Verizon is trying to fix.

If the unions did not defend the people everyone knows are crappy workers, but instead insisted their workers maintain a good work ethic, unions would be a force for good.

Unions still ahve their place, but too many times they are simply protectors of horrible workers.
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Here here...the union where I work actually defends the workers who sit all day and do nothing. When a supervisor tries to get them to actually work, the union jumps in and tells mgmt what they can and cant do.

I personally think that unions arent doing what they were originally meant to do...protect the rights on the employee that actually does something!
 
thank goodness they are back...my building just completed wiring for FIOS when the stupid strike started...I hear that new FIOS installs are now backlogged for months...why couldn't they wait until my install was finshed before going on strike? :D
 
Like the non-union environment is any better ... Having worked in both environments, I can say that the non-union environment is just as bad with the added downfall of unfettered nepotism.

Call a spade a spade ... What this really boils down to is union members have better compensation and instead of non-union members banding together to negotiate for better compensation, they would rather tear union members down. Myopic and stupid.
 
becand75 said:
My mothers landline phone went out during the strike and I had them bail on three separate appointments without notice.

When I called Verizon, I told them if it wasnt fixed that day, I was switching to Vonage. The operator told me that "at this point, switching to Vonage would probably be the best route".

Who on earth recommends that their customers switch to a competitor?
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An honest one. You made a threat to leave if it was not fixed that day. He knew it very well might not be fixed that day. He told you to switch, since that was what you said you would do.
 
Draax said:
Like the non-union environment is any better ... Having worked in both environments, I can say that the non-union environment is just as bad with the added downfall of unfettered nepotism.

Call a spade a spade ... What this really boils down to is union members have better compensation and instead of non-union members banding together to negotiate for better compensation, they would rather tear union members down. Myopic and stupid.
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If a non-union worker is a crappy worker, that worker is fired and replaced with a better one. If a union worker is a crappy worker, the union prevents that worker from being fired and replaced with a better one.

That is the main problem with unions. Fix that, and unions become a force for good.
 
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cybrsage said:
If a non-union worker is a crappy worker, that worker is fired and replaced with a better one. If a union worker is a crappy worker, the union prevents that worker from being fired and replaced with a better one.

That is the main problem with unions. Fix that, and unions become a force for good.
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Except if the non-union worker is the bosses son, daugher, friend, cousin, etc. Since non-union environments can do whatever the hell they want they go ahead and hire friends instead of who is most deserving or best suited for the job. Worked at a non-union job for 40 years and a week away from retirement ... well here is your pink slip, we don't want to pay you out. What's that you got sick, well too bad, doesn't matter if you have been with the company for decades.

Ever Worked on comission, in a non-union environment, and landed a multi-million dollar contract? The boss can turn around and tell you, tough luck you are not getting paid commission for this.

In addition, every union that I am aware of has methods in place to get rid of poor employees. In my current union, a member simply needs to be writien up three times and they lose their job. Posters here act like a union member could run around punting babies and eating kittens and they would still have a job ... simply not true.
 
Draax said:
Except if the non-union worker is the bosses son, daugher, friend, cousin, etc. Since non-union environments can do whatever the hell they want they go ahead and hire friends instead of who is most deserving or best suited for the job. Worked at a non-union job for 40 years and a week away from retirement ... well here is your pink slip, we don't want to pay you out. What's that you got sick, well too bad, doesn't matter if you have been with the company for decades.

Ever Worked on comission, in a non-union environment, and landed a multi-million dollar contract? The boss can turn around and tell you, tough luck you are not getting paid commission for this.

In addition, every union that I am aware of has methods in place to get rid of poor employees. In my current union, a member simply needs to be writien up three times and they lose their job. Posters here act like a union member could run around punting babies and eating kittens and they would still have a job ... simply not true.
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The exact same situation applies if you would be in a union that fires people based on crappy performance. Your Red Herring is noted and ignored.
 
wizdum said:
Verizon as a whole made money, the division of Verizon that runs FIOS and their landlines (the division that these people were getting a paid vacation from) is losing money by the truckload. Verizon Wireless is basically subsidizing Verizon Landline, and they're trying to put an end to that.
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The reason the FIOS division is losing money is because of the roll outs....it takes a shit ton of money to wire an area for fiber, and it then takes years to get that money back.

Verizon knew this going in, but I'm sure they expect to turn a nice profit in the future, as fiber is much more durable and capable than the copper that its replacing.
 
Draax said:
Ummm what
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If you can be fired while in a union, and you are the boss' son, daugher, friend, cousin, etc., you still would not be fired. You would then add even more to your list, as you would have to include the the union steward's son, daugher, friend, cousin, etc
 
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